Conservation Medal Awarded to Conservation Champions

December 6, 2007

The Zoological Society of San Diego's Conservation Medal has been awarded to two people who have worked to raise awareness about the needs of endangered species and habitats. Michael Soulé, Ph.D., and Rolf Benirschke are the luminaries that have been selected to receive this honor.

Dr. Soulé helped define the field of conservation biology. Using science as a basis for conservation has validated the fight for biodiversity, endangered species, and habitat protection. He spent many years sharing his conservation message through teaching and fieldwork, both nationally and internationally. Dr. Soulé spent most of his academic life in the University of California system, at San Diego and Santa Cruz, where he is professor emeritus in environmental studies. He is a founder of the Wildlands Project, an organization that connects "networks of people protecting networks of land." Specifically, it creates corridors or large land-protected areas that allow for natural migrations and animal ranges. The Wildlands Project has created a series of "greenprints," which map networks of publicly managed lands along the Rocky Mountains, stretching from Canada to Mexico. It continues to work toward similar networks across and along the eastern United States. The concept of continental connectivity is now widely accepted in countries around the world. Likewise, connectivity enhances species reintroduction and translocation efforts.

Rolf Benirschke spent his vacation after high school in a wilderness program in South Africa, trekking through game reserves looking for signs of white rhinos, sleeping outdoors, and keeping watch at night. That summer, he was imprinted with the value of conservation and endangered species. Some of the white rhinos he helped track were translocated to reserves within Africa, and others, by chance, became the founding population of white rhinos at the Wild Animal Park. His sports talent landed him in the NFL draft with a football career ahead of him. But a way for him to give back to the natural world he loved was through the Kicks for Critters program he started in 1980. As the place-kicker for the Chargers, he donated his own money with matched pledges from the community, both change from children's piggy banks and funding from business sponsors, each time he kicked a field goal. The funds supported CRES, the San Diego Zoo's research arm. Although Kicks for Critters ended with his football career in the late '80s, he also founded Cans for Critters, an environment and wildlife education program in San Diego schools, and Celebration for the Critters, the fund-raising event held at the Zoo each September. He and his wife, Mary, continue to serve as Celebration's honorary chairs. During the last 27 years, these programs have raised more than $3.3 million for CRES.

The Zoological Society of San Diego's Conservation Medal was first presented in 1966 during the Society's golden anniversary celebration. Since that time, more than 50 medals have been awarded to an impressive international array of conservationists. Past recipients of the Conservation Medal include Jane Goodall, Gilbert M. Grosvenor, H.R.H. The Duke of Edinburgh, Sir David Attenborough, and E. O. Wilson. The Conservation Medal is awarded annually by the Zoological Society's Board of Trustees to people who have significantly increased knowledge of wildlife habitats, played an active role in endangered species preservation through breeding programs, research, and the establishment of wildlife preserves, or furthered the cause of conservation through financial support, influence or publicity. This year's award will be presented to the recipients at a formal presentation on Thursday, December 6, 2007.